Books | Page 66 of 82

Your Nose! is classic Boynton whimsy and joy

Sandra Boynton is the queen of board books. We’ve still got the board books that our now 10 year-old read when he was crawling across the floor. He’s sitting here beside me as I write this and commented that he remembered her books. Not to fact check him, but I went through the books that she’s written and illustrated and sure enough, the ones that I know are upstairs (in the secret box of baby stuff) were the ones that said he remembered. While it’s certainly possible to have all of her books, we only have eight of them, with many of their corners chewed, just a little bit. Your Nose! Is somewhere north of release number 75 for Boynton and continues the timeless quality and charm as her classics.

Sandra Boynton, queen of the board book, is back with your nose!

Plastic Sucks!, high interest eco-nuggets for middle school

Plastic Sucks! aims to be a middle elementary through middle school primer on plastic and its impact on the environment. In some ways it squarely hits the objective and for some young readers this will be the go-to book that will start their eco-interests. Let’s break down the book and see if it’s the polymer that will bond your young one to learning more about a substance that we use every day.

A good place for middle school readers to start on plastic pollution

Catwad Me, Three! more surly cat funnies for elementary and up

Catwad is a cat who’s usually in a bad mood. Blurmp is his best friend who’s usually in a good mood. One of them seems to have bad luck all of the time while the other one walks on clouds to a kitten soundtrack. Catwad is the stuff of elementary school legend. If you go to a Scholastic book sale early enough in the week there might be a copy or two of one of the Catwad books. If you go later in the week then they’ll be sold out. Catwad Me, Three! is out and kids everywhere are clamoring for it.

These are the cat oriented sillies your elementary student is looking for

Blue Skies, a sweet take on a young girl dealing with hope and loss

If Blue Skies were a home it would be a bungalow that was built in the 1930s. It has 12’ ceilings, a covered front porch with a screen door that leads you into its shotgun style abode. There are four fireplaces with decorative tile, a mantle that surrounds each of them and heart of pine wood throughout. Blue Skies is a down home kind of novel that knows its audience and takes its time in drawing out the story.

middle grade bittersweet that’s earnest in its simplicity

Stella Diaz Never Gives Up, relatable, can-do fun for ages 9-13

Stella Diaz Never Gives Up is the second book in the series by Angela Dominguez. Stella Diaz Has Something to Say and if it’s anything like this one then it’s the type of book series that gravitates to upper elementary through middle school kids like rain to a just-washed car. In reality, this is a book that will attract more girls than boy readers, but those lads that give the book a chance will find it a fun read.

Message reading, without the guilt that’s great for ages 9 and up

Go Get ‘Em Tiger!, as bright and happy as the day is long

Sometimes a child being loud is pleasing and other times that same sound is ear splitting pain akin to physically walking barefoot on LEGO bricks. Go Get ‘Em Tiger! is the sort of children’s book that you knew existed in children’s minds. When you actually see the day-glow colors that are combined with every other hue under the rainbow it’s a bit jarring. It’s visual coffee, and when you add in the go-get-em, can-do attitude that radiates through its pages; it could become something more than a children’s book.

Go Get ‘Em Tiger! is the bright, happy equivalent of literary caffeine for children’s illustrated books, but also great for anyone who needs an atta-boy or att-girl.

Wakey, wakey, bright colors for young (or older) readers

Thieves of Weirdwood is middle grade fiction at its best

Somewhere between a Rorschach test and a literary M.C. Escher lays Thieves of Weirdwood. The back cover of the book says to beware your imagination. That’s a very apt thing to keep a hold of, or alternately, let go and completely surrender to this incredibly engaging and creative book. Thieves of Weirdwood works on so many level that it plays out like a movie inside your head as you’re reading it. While I was reading the book I simultaneously wanted to read the book quickly so I could find out what happens; but I also wanted to take my time so that the book would last longer.

Middle grade readers: this is your next favorite book series

Haunted Japan, accessible, bite-sized yokai and dread

Ah, ghost watch, I get it now. Sadly, that’s one of the first things I thought about when I started reading Haunted Japan: Exploring the World of Japanese Yokai, Ghosts and the Paranormal. I love Japan and I love reading about ghosts. Personally, I lived in Japan for two years and it’s one of the friendliest, cleanest places you’ll ever visit. It’s also very weird. Even the foreword of the books lets readers know that this is a strange place. Haunted Japan was originally released 25 years ago, but author Catrien Ross has updated some of the stories and included more modern tales.

Haunted Japan by Catrien Ross works as a re-telling of ancient ghosts, modern hauntings the paranormal and travelogue.

Haunted Japan is a serious and educational look at nippon yokai